This review was made possible by an advance screening of The Creator. The Creator releases in theaters on September 29, 2023.
Artificial Intelligence. The hot-button topic of the year. It’s always been a dream set in a distant future— a fantasy of what technological advancements could come next in our society. Well, this year, we’ve come much closer to that future than many could have imagined, with AI already affecting certain industries, leading to job displacement. So when I learned about The Creator, which takes place in the midst of a war for survival between humans and AI, it seemed like perfect timing for such a story. Having now seen it— while it may be an absolutely awe-inspiring film on other fronts, it would actually appear to be just about the most inopportune time for the stance it takes on the issue.
The Fighter
The film follows Joshua (John David Washington), an ex-special forces operative, who is sent on a mission to locate and take down The Creator— the mastermind who developed advanced AI several years prior. His other objective is to neutralize a newly created weapon that has the power to stop the war, and quite possibly all life itself. After crossing into treacherous enemy territory, he soon comes to find the weapon may be something a little more… complicated.
Upon opening The Creator’s vault, the weapon is discovered to be just another robot with a human likeness (a staple of the AI-centric society in this world)… but this one’s different. She’s a child. In fact, she’s the only robotic child in the world. Joshua is understandably perplexed by her existence, but even more so by how she could possibly be the world-threatening weapon he was sent to deal with. After realizing The Creator is nowhere to be found, he sets off on a journey— somewhat reluctantly bringing the girl, now coined Alphie (Madeldine Yuna Voyles), along for the ride.
The main stretch of the story sees Joshua in a sort of adoptive father role (ala The Mandalorian) where he grows closer to Alphie during their travels, despite his own bias. Both Washington and Voyles are absolutely spectacular in these roles, with a natural chemistry that will have you grinning from ear-to-ear. Washington plays his militant determination well, but he really stands out when his charisma and charm are put on show. Voyles is an absolute wonder of an actor, twisting lines that Washington’s Joshua said out of frustration, with a pure curiosity and child-like ignorance— leading to laughs aplenty from the audience. There are a couple of memorable moments from other characters along the way as well, but performance-wise, The Creator is really carried by its two leads.
The Worldbuilder
Director Gareth Edwards knew exactly what he wanted The Creator to be. Its ambitious and consistent visual identity is paralleled by only a small handful of other films. If you want a movie where every shot is a painting, welcome to the Louvre. Sprawling southeast Asian fields, grungy cyberpunk cities, towering mountains in Nepal— the locations put to film here are shot gorgeously by DP Oren Soffer… and here’s the kicker: The entirety of the movie seems to be shot on a Sony FX3 (known as a “prosumer” camera), which cost only ~$4000! The magic on display on the big screen here is insane, coming from such a relatively affordable camera. Not to mention that it looks especially magnificent on the bigger screen— IMAX.
The camerawork isn’t the only thing to praise about this film’s style. No stone is left unturned with the VFX, which is not only utilized on a massive scale, but also looks— dare I say— flawless! The production design is at its peak, with robots, prosthetics, tanks, and other weaponry sharing a distinct flavor, that fits into the old-as-time natural landscapes in a way reminiscent of Star Wars. Everything down to the typography of the film’s title cards is thought out thoroughly and executed with elegance. The only slightly weak point stylistically is Hans Zimmer’s score, which remains a bit unmemorable… but it did it’s job well. What stands out even louder though, are the songs selected for the soundtrack, which lend a vintage beauty that complements The Creator‘s visuals perfectly.
The Storyteller
The Creator‘s story also knows how to keep its hooks in you on a moment-to-moment basis, offering emotional scenes exploring human pain and selflessness, as well as thrilling setpieces full of explosive action. At one point I found myself thinking, “That was probably the last big setpiece of the movie”… and then there was another…and another. And every single one is exhilarating. But it’s not all mindless war. In the midst of the chaos comes a voice of peace in the form of Alphie. She embodies hope, and shines a light of understanding on the misunderstood, in a way that parallels story arcs seen somewhat recently in the Avatar series, and much further back in Studio Ghibli films such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Princess Mononoke.
But the overall weakest point of the film just might be the climax of Alphie’s arc. While it’s continually hinted at that she’s incredibly special and has growing abilities that can lead to the end of the war, I don’t believe the way it played out in the end fell in line with the philosophy she represented. Don’t get me wrong, the resolution isn’t awful by any means— but it left a little bit to be desired in the way of a slightly more cerebral and emotionally resonant conclusion.
The Articifer
The last subject worth touching on is The Creator’s handling of AI, in the context of real-world issues. While I believe the theme of the film is beautiful and deeply human when looked at more metaphorically, I think it’s slightly dangerous in fostering positive views regarding an issue that’s slowly becoming a detriment to our society. This wouldn’t be interpreted as such, had the film been released a few short years ago, before the rapid growth of AI— so it feels slightly unfair to judge it on that merit. Still, it feels important to keep in mind, especially with the growing utilization and discussion of the technology in the film industry at large— and more specifically— the studio behind this movie. Ultimately, I’m willing to write it off as case of bad timing, with Edwards recently sharing in an interview that the social climate changed after he began development on it.
‘The Creator’ – Final Thoughts
The Creator is a masterwork of sci-fi cinema. It is deeply in tune with its visual identity, presenting some of the most flawless VFX to make it onto the big screen, and cinematography that will take your breath away. While the story doesn’t fulfill its full thematic potential, it’s sure to have you engaged on a moment-to-moment basis— from the emotional beats of the performances, to the high-octane action, to the enticing world-building. Gareth Edwards has delivered one hell of a film— one that you need to see in IMAX if possible.
The Creator releases in theaters on September 29, 2023. Check out the trailer below.
Looking for more sci-if thrills? Check out our review of No One Will Save You, now streaming on Hulu.
The Review
The Creator
The Creator is a masterwork of sci-fi cinema. It is deeply in tune with its visual identity, presenting some of the most flawless VFX to make it onto the big screen, and cinematography that will take your breath away. While the story doesn't fulfill its full thematic potential, it's sure to have you engaged on a moment-to-moment basis— from the emotional beats of the performances, to the high-octane action, to the enticing world-building. Gareth Edwards has delivered one hell of a film— one that you need to see in IMAX if possible.
